The remarkable world of Sam Berns, progeria child

Boston
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Last night on HBO was the show, "Life According to Sam," an HBO documentary about Sam Berns. Age 13 going on 90, Sam is a high-achieving 16-year-old high-school student who was born with progeria---a rare genetic disease that rapidly ages young children.

Sam is a very lovable and quick-witted young man who loves to play drums. "I'm pretty happy with my personality," he says convincingly, and, "I really think that you know, I lucked out on the parent lottery," according to the Artery.

Sam's parents are doctors, Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns, who dedicated their lives to progeria once Sam was diagnosed with progeria. Eventually, their studies would result in the development of The Progeria Foundation.

According to Artery, Leslie Gordon immersed herself in studying progeria’s cause, possible treatments and the search for a cure. They banded with her sister, Audrey Gordon, to start the first and only Progeria Research Foundation, based in Peabody, and identified the progeria gene in 2003.

Since it started, there are many children throughout the world who have been discovered with progeria, and are enrolled in the classes for new medicines. And there are many who have not made it, due to there not being a cure for it yet. When Sam was born, it was pretty much an unheard of disease.

"Life according to Sam" will win your heart over, and help you understand what goes on through the life of a child who has progeria. Diagnosed at age two with the disease, he would go on and break two ribs while enjoying a roller coaster ride. Highly intelligent, Sam Berns is the steering mechanism for the Progeria Foundation and for the lives of so many children with progeria.

BREAKING NEWS! After seeing Life According to Sam, our generous friend Robert Kraft has issued a Matching Gift Challenge to help Sam and his friends. The gift you send will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $500,000, from now through October 23rd so we can put $1 million to work and give every child with Progeria access to possibly life-saving drugs. LET’S DO THIS!